Earlier in the year Growers Espresso kindly handed out some vouchers for "buy one, get one free" coffee purchases.

On 16 November I purchased a take-away cappuccino from the small shopfront, which is full of character, with dark wood furniture and lots of blackboards describing the coffees which are available. The barrista was very knowledgeable, and described the three blends which he had in his machines at present, and some of the coffees available for sale. There were also some stalks of coffee fruit on the benchtop, and he invited me to try one of the red fruits, which tasted a bit like an "all in one" fruit and nut mix, slightly sweet but having a fruity texture. There were two pale green coffee beans in the centre!

I did not know previously that coffee beans were grown in Australia, but the "home blend" that is used for milk-based coffee drinks is grown mainly around Byron Bay (and also partly in Queensland).

The cappuccino was very milky, perhaps a little overly so for my taste, and by the time I got it home it was definitely more like a latte. The aroma was dark and woody and the flavour also had an unusual quality about it when striking the palate that is hard to pinpoint. It was dense and 'heavy' with a slight bitterness, and also was fairly self-contained, fading away reasonably quickly rather than being refractory, leaving only a mild after-taste. Perhaps the best analogy I can make is that the taste was a little like a 'green' or 'young' wine that has not finished its maturation nor achieved its full potential. It was certainly quite acceptable as a 'quaffing' coffee, but did not grab my attention or tastebuds the way that coffees at other local cafes have done.

The next day my 'secret agent' obtained two long blacks for tasting purposes.

Mountain Top Coffee ("MTC") from South America

This coffee has a dark but strikingly fresh roasted aroma. Tasted black it is fruity and full-flavoured in the mouth with a zingy freshness and more than a hint of liquorice. There is quite a strong after-taste which pleasantly lingers leaving the kernel of the flavour behind. The flavour remains fresh and attractive with milk added. This coffee has a refreshing spicyness and would be good at the end of a meal or on a hot summer's day! Its vibrancy would appeal to those who like a coffee with a lot of personality.

Honduras Blend No.7 (Rated No.7 in a coffee tasting competition)

This has a gentler aroma than the MTC, being smooth, balanced and inviting. The flavour itself is smooth and complex, with a rich depth of character which grows in the mouth, displaying both refreshing and dark components. There is a subtle after-taste, with the dark roasted aspects lingering on the palate. With milk added the subtleties of the flavour remain and it is warm and inviting. Gently sophisticated, this coffee would be a good accompaniment to sweet food or chocolate and would suit those who don't like their coffee too strong.